Mysterious white spheres and monsters (Ittan Momen, Kesaranpasaran, Backbeard)

On Wednesday, June 17, 2020, a mysterious large, white balloon-like object appeared in the sky over the Tohoku region, centered on Miyagi Prefecture and stretching from Fukushima Prefecture to Yamagata Prefecture.

This was witnessed by many people and became a topic of discussion on social media and in the press, but its true nature remains a mystery.

The sphere had a cross-shaped object hanging from it, two propellers, and what appears to be solar panels in some photos.

Similarities with weather balloons, aerosol observation systems, and Google's Loon Project balloons have been pointed out, but as no prior flight plans have been reported to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism or the police, this remains merely speculation.

It is not known what purpose it served; whether it was carried by the westerly winds from overseas, such as Russia, North Korea, South Korea, or China, or whether it was intentionally drifting over Japan.

A roll of cotton floating in the sky

The famous myth of this mysterious sphere floating in the sky has led to theIttan Momen" There is a similarity with

Ittan Momen, also famous as part of the Kitaro family, was originally a monster that appeared in the Osumi region of Kagoshima Prefecture, and is said to have been feared especially by children around Mount Gongen, which stands near Shibushi Bay.

It doesn't look scary at all, just like a pile of laundry blown about by the wind, but it is said that it can actually wrap around a person's neck or cover their face and kill them.

Fluffy things that bring happiness

It is white, round, and floating in the air.Kesaranpathan" This brings to mind the saying "

Kesaranpathan is a white, fur-like object that floats in the air.

The ancient Edo period encyclopedia "Wakan Sansai Zue" contained a description of a jewel called heisarabasara (heisarabasaru).

This is a monster from an urban legend that says it can be kept in a paulownia box with a hole in it and fed powder, and that it will reproduce and bring happiness to its owner.

The leader of fictional Western monsters

Although the colors are different, they are the same in the sense that there is a giant sphere in the sky.Buckbeard" This brings to mind the following.

Buckbeard is the boss of the Western monsters and is a monster that frequently appears in "GeGeGe no Kitaro."

It appears that it first appeared in Japan as a Japanese creation, but since Shigeru Mizuki depicted it as the leader of Western monsters in his Gegege no Kitaro manga and it also appeared in guidebooks about monsters, it has become well-established in Japan.

It appears as a huge black circle with branch-like things growing radially from it, with an eye in the center, and is said to appear in the evenings in city centers with buildings. It is said that if you are stared at by its huge single eye, you will get extremely dizzy, and if you are on the roof of a building, you will be thrown off. It is also said that its true identity is something like photochemical smog.

this"Buckbeard"or"empty nestIt's interesting to see the process by which fictional monsters come to be spoken of as real things, such as "The Legend of 1900."

Also,"Nurarihyon"or"AmabieIt's interesting to see how the legend has evolved into something different from its original form as it has been told by various people.

The now-classic historical monsters must have first emerged from rumors and legends, and it is interesting to consider their origins.

The mysterious balloon object in Miyagi this time may well have various tails and fins attached to it in a few years and be told as just another urban legend.

Image: Sendai City Astronomical Observatory

Text by Keijiro Watanabe

■ Keichan Watanabe

Born in Asahikawa, Hokkaido. Graduated from the School of Human Sciences at Waseda University. An independent researcher of yokai. Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and Project Management Professional (PMP).

He currently works as a management and IT consultant, residing in Sapporo, Hokkaido, and traveling throughout the prefecture and Tokyo. However, he studied folklore and cultural anthropology at university, and continues to research yokai as his life's work.

I am currently writing articles about monsters associated with Hokkaido, where I currently live, as well as current news about business and economics.

Twitter:https://twitter.com/keishiro_w

Blog:http://blog.livedoor.jp/meda3594/